Biomedical subjects

Feng-Chang Yen

Publications and source records attributed to Feng-Chang Yen.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2006

Family-based association study between G72/G30 genetic polymorphism and schizophrenia.

Genetic variations in G72/G30 have been reported to be associated with schizophrenia and bipolar disorders in several case-control studies. This gene is located in a genomic region known to contain susceptibility genes for schizophrenia. As case-control studies carry an increased risk of confounding through population stratification, we investigate whether the rs947267 (A/C) polymorphism is associated with schizophrenia in a family-based association study. This polymorphism is located within the G72/G30 gene and has been previously associated with bipolar disorders. The sample consisted of a total of 216 Chinese families that included an affected offspring and parents. Transmission disequilibrium analysis revealed a significant association between the G72/G30 rs947267 polymorphism and schizophrenia (P=0.016), with the A allele more commonly transmitted to patients. Further analysis stratified by sex showed that the A allele was significantly more overtransmitted than nontransmitted in the trios of male probands (P=0.031), but not in the trios of female probands. Our family-based association study supports the suggestion that the G72/G30 gene may be implicated in susceptibility to schizophrenia and there may be an interaction between this gene and sex in the pathogenesis of schizophrenia.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Association study of adenosine A2a receptor (1976C>T) genetic polymorphism and mood disorders and age of onset.

Evidence suggests that the adenosine A2a receptor (A2aAR) may be implicated in the pathogenesis of mood disorders. We tested the hypothesis that the A2aAR 1976C>T genetic variant confers susceptibility to mood disorders by comparing 192 mood disorder patients and 216 normal controls. The distribution of the A2aAR genotypes and alleles did not differ significantly comparing the two groups, suggesting that it is unlikely that the A2aAR 1976C>T polymorphism plays a major role in the development of mood disorders.

Age of Onset↗

PubMed2004

X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1) C--116G polymorphisms in bipolar disorders and age of onset.

X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), a critical gene in the endoplasmic reticulum stress response, is located on chromosome 22q12, which has been linked with bipolar disorders in several studies. Recently, associations have been reported between a polymorphism (-116C --> G) in the promoter region of XBP1, and bipolar disorders in both case-control study and family-based association study, however, this finding is not yet confirmed by other research using independent sample populations. To replicate this finding and determine the association between onset age of bipolar disorders and the XBP1 C--116G polymorphism, we investigated the prevalence of this polymorphism in a Chinese population (153 bipolar disorder patients and 174 controls). We were unable, however, to demonstrate a significant association between the C--116G polymorphism and bipolar disorders (P = 0.674 for genotype and P = 0.436 for allele frequency) or age at onset (P = 0.563). Further, no association was demonstrated between this polymorphism and family history in bipolar disorder patients. These negative findings suggest that the XBP1 C--116G polymorphism does not play a major role in the pathogenesis of bipolar disorders in Chinese populations.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Association study of serotonin transporter gene VNTR polymorphism and mood disorders, onset age and suicide attempts in a Chinese sample.

The human serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene is an important candidate for the pathogenesis of mood disorders. Associations have been reported between a variable-number tandem-repeat polymorphism in intron 2 of the serotonin transporter gene (5-HTTVNTR) and mood disorders in a number of studies of Western and Chinese populations. However, no such relationships have been determined in other analogous research. To replicate these positive findings in a Chinese population and to determine the association between onset age of bipolar disorder and 5-HTTVNTR, we investigated the prevalence of this polymorphism in an independent Chinese population (83 bipolar disorder patients, 77 major depressive disorder patients and 169 controls), demonstrating no significant association between the 5-HTTVNTR polymorphism and mood disorders or age at onset. Further, no association was demonstrated between this polymorphism and suicidal history in mood disorder patients. These negative findings suggest that 5-HTTVNTR does not play a major role in the pathogenesis of mood disorder in Chinese populations.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Association study of a brain-derived neurotrophic-factor genetic polymorphism and mood disorders, age of onset and suicidal behavior.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a member of the neurotrophin growth factor family, has been implicated in both mood disorders and suicidal behavior. This study has examined the association between the BDNF gene Val66Met polymorphism and mood disorders, age of onset and suicidal behavior in a Chinese sample population. The genotype and allele frequencies for the BDNF gene Val66Met polymorphism did not differ comparing depression groups (total, bipolar disorder or major depression) and control subjects. Furthermore, it was not demonstrated that this BDNF polymorphism was associated with age of onset or suicidal history in our mood disorder patients. Based on these results, it seems reasonable to suggest that this polymorphism is unlikely to play a major role in the genetic susceptibility to mood disorders. Given the fact that the positive association between BDNF gene Val66Met polymorphism and bipolar disorder has only been demonstrated for a Caucasian population but not for a Japanese analog or our Chinese sample, it appears likely that this association is ethnicity dependent.

Adult↗